My current research focuses on epidemiologic analyses and interventions related to obesity. I am particularly interested in the developmental origins of obesity and cardio-metabolic diseases, including maternal diet,smoking,and other lifestyle during pregnancy, placenta, intrauterine growth, epigenetics, and infancy growth. I am also very interested in clinical intervention for pediatric obesity. Below are my ongoing research projects. 1) Etiological subgroups of small-for-gestational-age: differential childhood physical and cognitive development; 2) Vegetarian diet during pregnancy and prevention of gestational diabetes and offspring obesity; 3) Smoking cessation during pregnancy and lactation and offspring outcomes; 4) Infant diet and health; 5) Toddler's self-regulation and later healthy behaviors.
Education and Training:
Postdoctoral Fellow, Childhood Obesity, Harvard Medical School/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute (2012)
PhD, Epidemiology, Brown University (2010)
MS, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Sun Yat-sen University, Honor Postgraduate (2006)
MBBS, Preventive Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Honor Graduate (2003)
Employment:
Visiting Associate Professor, Sun Yat-sen University, School of Public Health, China (2013-present)
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University at Buffalo (2012-present)
Research Assistant Professor, Social and Preventive Medicine, University at Buffalo, School of Public Health and Health Professions (2012-present)
Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Obesity Prevention Program, Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School (2010–2012)
Research Fellow, Primary Care Center, Children's Hospital of Boston (2010–2012)
Tutor, Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School (2011)
Research Assistant, Center for Population Health and Clinical Epidemiology, Brown University (2009–2010)
Community Medical Service, Quincy Medical Center (2009)
Research Assistant, Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research, Brown University (2008–2009)
Research Assistant, Education, Brown University (2007–2009)
Teaching Assistant, Community Health, Brown University (2007)
Research Assistant, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China (2005–2006)
Scientific Project Director, Epidemiology, Sun Yat-sen University, China (2003–2006)
Intern, Preventive Medicine, Center of Disease Control and Prevention, China (2003)
Intern, Clinic Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, China (2002)
Intern, Clinic Medicine, Eighth People‘s Hospital of Guangzhou, China (2002)
Teaching Assistant, Anatomy, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, China (1999)
The Obesity Society 31st Annual Scientific Meeting: Pat Simons Travel Award (2013)
The Obesity Society 30th Annual Scientific Meeting: Pat Simons Travel Award (2012)
The Obesity Society: 2012 Epidemiology Student and Trainee Award for Excellence in Obesity Research (2012)
Academic Pediatric Association: Fellow Research Award for Best Abstract (2012)
Pediatric Academic Societies: CTSA Consortium-Child Health Oversight Committee - Clinical and Translational Science Award (2012)
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 17th Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference: Travel Scholarship Award (2011)
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 16th Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference: Travel Scholarship Award (2010)
Brown University: Public Health Research Day - 2nd Place Poster Award (2010)
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 15th Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference: Travel Scholarship Award (2009)
Sun Yat-sen University: Keling's Scholarship (2005)
Sun Yat-sen University: Scholarship of the Alumni Association in Eastern America (2000)
Sun Yat-sen University: Annual Excellent Student Award (1999-2002)
Grants and Sponsored Research:
September 2013–August 2015 Maternal Low-Fat Vegetarian Diet to Prevent Gestational-Diabetes-Related Childhood Obesity: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial SUNY REACH (Research Excellence in Academic Health) Role: Principal Investigator $25,000
April 2014–March 2015 Etiological Subgroups of Small-for-Gestational-Age: Differential Child Outcomes HRSA- Health Resources and Services Administration Role: Principal Investigator $99,968
July 2010–June 2012 Use of Electronic Medical Records to Examine Prenatal and Early Life Risk Factors for Childhood Obesity CDC Role: Co-Investigator
September 2009–August 2011 Epidemiology and Epigenetics: Maternal Diet, DNA Methylation, and Offspring Adiposity NIH Role: Contributor
August 2006–June 2011 Pre- and Perinatal Predictors of Childhood Obesity NIH Role: Contributor
Liu T, Wang H, Wen X, Quan Q, Ding P, He Y, Chen W, Yu X, Chen W. Smoking status and body fatness indicators: A cross-sectional survey among 1948 Chinese male adults.. J Public Health. 2012; 20(11).
Niu Z, Xie C, Wen X, Tian F, Ding P, He Y, Lin J, Yuan S, Guo X, Jia D, Chen W. Placenta mediates the association between maternal secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy and small-for-gestational-age.. Placenta..
Wen X, Buka SL, Loucks E, Oken E, Kleinman K, Goldstein JM, Heude B, Eaton CB, Gillman MW. Modifiable Determinants of 4 Components of Gestational Weight Gain.. Abstract Book for the 30th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Obesity Society. 2012.
Burris HH, Rifas-Shiman SL, Baccarelli A, Boeke CE, Kleinman K, Wen X, Litonjua AA, Rich-Edwards JW, Gillman MW. Associations of LINE-1 (‘Global‘) DNA methylation with preterm birth in a prospective cohort study.. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. 2011; 2(Sup 1).
Wen X. Etiological subgroups of small-for-gestational-age: differential childhood growth trajectories.. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. 2011; 2(Sup 1).
Wen X, Kleinman K, Rifas-Shiman SL, Baccarelli A, Burris HH, Litonjua AA, Boeke CE, Gillman MW. Cord blood global DNA methylation associated with childhood height among boys.. Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. 2011; 2(Sup 1).
Wen X, Gillman MW, Kleinman K, Rifas-Shiman SL, Sherry B, Taveras EM. Childhood body mass index trajectories: modeling, estimates, correlations, and predictors.. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2011; 173(Sup11).
Wen X, Buka SL, Loucks E, Oken E, Kleinman K, Gillman MW. Components of gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention.. Obesity. 2011; 19(Sup 1).
Wen X, Chen W, Gans KM, Colby SM, Lu C, Liang C, Ling W. Two-year effects on a school-based prevention program on adolescent cigarette smoking in Guangzhou, China.. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2009; 169(Sup11).
Professional Memberships:
American College of Epidemiology
Society for Epidemiologic Research
American Public Health Association
International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
American Heart Association
The Obesity Society
Presentations:
"Can High-Quality Parenting, Breastfeeding and Well-Child Checkup Reduce Neurodevelopmental Delay Related to Small-for-Gestational-Age Birth?" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"Differential Childhood Growth Trajectories of Etiological Subgroups of Large-for-Gestational-Age Newborns in US" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"Do Maternal Socio-Demographics and Postnatal Factors Modify Subsequent High Risk of Obesity among Large-for-Gestational-Age Children?" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"Mid-Childhood Fruit and Vegetable Consumption: Do Timing of Introduction, Early Liking and Early Consumption Matter?" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"Postnatal Weight Gain and Later BMI and Neurodevelopment: Do Timing, Gestational Age and Intrauterine Growth Matter?" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"Toddler General Self-Regulation and Later Eating Habits: Does Parental Rule about Food Type Matter?" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"Toddler General Self-Regulation and Later Eating Habits: Does Parental Rule About Food Type Matter?" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"US Infant Dietary Patterns: Socio-Demographic Differences and Potential Impact on Infant Growth" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"US Infant Vegetable Consumption: Prevalence, Child/Maternal Predictors and Potential Impact on Infant Growth" 2nd Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2014)
"Preeclampsia Prevention by Normalizing Prepregnancy Weight among Overweight/Obese Women: Findings from a National Pre-Birth Cohort" 12th International Congress on Obesity, World Obesity Federation (2014)
"Macrosomia Prevention by Normalizing Prepregnancy Weight among Overweight/Obese Women: Findings from a National Pre-Birth Cohort" 1st Annual Obesity Week Meeting, The Obesity Society (2013)
"Associations of Diet and Physical Activity with the 3 Components of Gestational Weight Gain" Obesity and Pregnancy Hot Topic Conference, International Association for the Study of Obesity/The Obesity Society (2013)
"Modifiable Determinants of 4 Components of Gestational Weight Gain" 30th Annual Scientific Meeting, The Obesity Society (2012)
"Etiological Subgroups of Small-for-Gestational-Age: Differential Childhood Physical and Cognitive Outcomes at 7 Years of Age" Annual Meeting, Pediatric Academic Societies (2012)
"Components of Gestational Weight Gain and Child Body Mass Index at Age 7 Years" 17th Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011)
"Associations of LINE-1 ('Global') DNA Methylation with Preterm Birth in a Prospective Cohort Study" National Conference and Exhibition, American Academy of Pediatrics (2011)
"Components of Gestational Weight Gain and Postpartum Weight Retention" 29th Annual Scientific Meeting, The Obesity Society (2011)
"Cord Blood Global DNA Methylation Associated with Childhood Height among Boys" 7th World Congress, Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (2011)
"Etiological Subgroups of Small-for-Gestational-Age: Differential Childhood Growth Trajectories" 7th World Congress, Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (2011)
"Childhood Body Mass Index Trajectories: Modeling, Estimates, Correlations, and Predictors" 3rd North American Congress of Epidemiology, Society for Epidemiologic Research (2011)
"2-Year Body Mass Index Changes among Participants of a Pediatric Obesity Weight" Joint Meeting, Pediatric Academic Societies/Asian Society for Pediatric Research (2011)
"Associations between Childhood BMI Trajectory and Obesity in Late Adolescence" Annual Meeting, Pediatric Academic Societies (2011)
"Associations between Early Childhood Body Mass Index Milestones and Systolic Blood Pressure at Age 11 and 18 Years" Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Conference/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism Conference, American Heart Association (2011)
"Associations of Placental Size and Vascular Pathological Lesions with Childhood Systolic Blood Pressure" 16th Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010)
"Associations between Maternal Factors and Systolic Blood Pressure in Children: The Roles of Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Childhood Growth Trajectory" Annual Meeting, Society for Epidemiologic Research (2010)
"Breastfeeding Amplifies the Risk of Childhood Overweight Associated with Maternal Smoking" Annual Meeting, Society for Epidemiologic Research (2010)
"Test-Retest Reliability of Key Variables from the Lifetime Interview on Smoking History (LIST)" Annual Meeting, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (2010)
"Validity of Adults' 40-Year Recall of Exposure to Maternal Smoking during Early Childhood" Annual Meeting, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (2010)
"Association between Subtypes of Intrauterine Growth Restriction with or without Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy and the Risk of Hypercholesterolemia in Later Life: A 40-Year Cohort Study" 15th Annual Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009)
"Two-Year Effects of a School-Based Prevention Program on Adolescent Cigarette Smoking in Guangzhou, China" Annual Meeting, Society for Epidemiologic Research (2009)
"Effect of Health Promotion School Model on Smoking Prevention and Control in Secondary School Students" 14th World Conference on Tobacco or Health, World Health Organization (2009)
"Report on the Program of Tobacco Use Prevention among Adolescents in Huangpu, Guangzhou" Regional Conference on Smoking and Launching Ceremony for the Campaign of Tobacco Control in the Area of Pearl River Delta (2005)
"Survey on the Characteristics of Smoking Behaviors among Secondary School Students in Suburbs at Guangzhou, China" 12th Chinese National Conference on Smoking and Health/2nd Forum on Framework Conference on Tobacco Control (2005)
University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Division of Behavioral Medicine G56 Farber Hall, 3435 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14228 Phone: (716) 829-6811 Fax: (716) 829-3993 Email: xiaozhon@buffalo.edu
